How These Tiny Red Hats for Babies Could Make a Huge Difference This February

Many babies born this February will get to be ambassadors of a philanthropic, powerful message. To mark American Heart Month, the American Heart Association, along with The Children's Heart Foundation, are asking supporters to collect, knit and crochet red hats for babies who are born throughout the month. According to the AHA website, the cute campaign, called “Little Hats, Big Hearts,” aims to “raise awareness, provide resources, and inspire moms to take their family’s heart health to heart while also raising awareness about Congenital Heart Defects (CHDs).”

CHDs, which are the leading cause of illness and death among infants with birth defects, affect nearly 1 percent or about 40,000 births per year in the U.S., and about 25 percent of babies with a CHD have a critical CHD, which means they generally need surgery or other procedures within their first year of life, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Thankfully, the “Little Hats” campaign is spreading the word about this challenge that many L.O.s and their parents face. Hundreds of volunteers knitted or crocheted more than 90,000 caps for 460 hospitals in 33 states so far, Anne Schullo, who coordinates the project at the American Heart Association, told TODAY.com.

Some of the campaign’s supporters are heart patients or have a personal connection to the cause themselves, Schullo noted, elaborating that “one woman was waiting in a hospital for her heart transplant and making hats to help her pass the time” while another “wrote us that her granddaughter was born with half a heart and now is a flourishing 16-year-old. They (said) it is their way of giving back and saying thank you to the hospitals and researchers that have made medical advancements to save their loved ones’ life.”

The many ways that this cause has touched people all over the country and spread its important message is truly inspiring. The project initially began in 2014 in Chicago, and that year, volunteers knit and crocheted 300 hats. It’s no wonder that organizers say that this year, they’re “thrilled” to see how much the campaign has grown. 90,000 hats is absolutely incredible!

Here’s to next year’s effort being even bigger. “Little Hats, Big Hearts” encourages anyone who wants to volunteer or donate yarn for next year to visit the campaign’s official website.

Maressa Brown is an editor and writer with more than a decade of experience covering lifestyle, pop culture, and parenting. Her work has appeared in/on a variety of publications including Cosmopolitan.com, Parents.com, Romper, Redbookmag.com, ELLE.com, GoodHousekeeping.com, Bustle, Variety, Women's Health, and Better Homes & Gardens. She loves researching and covering women’s health, beauty/style, relationships, pop culture, and astrology. Follow her on Twitter @MaressaSylvie.